UPDATE: Second Boil Water Notice announced for Kilkenny public water supplies

Irish Water has issued a second Boil Water Notice for Kilkenny customers.

The second notice, which affects Bennettsbridge, Stoneyford, Kells, Knocktopher, Ballyhale and surrounding areas, was issued on Saturday morning and follows on from the notice supplied for the Clogh-Castlecomer Public Water Supply which was issued on Friday evening.

Drinking water experts from Irish Water and Kilkenny County Council are working to rectify the turbidity issues at the treatment plant and lift the notice as quickly and as safely as possible, in consultation with the HSE. In the meantime, all customers on this supply are advised to boil water before use until further notice.

Customers can check if their property is included by visiting the Water Quality section of www.water.ie and entering the property’s Eircode or by calling the Irish Water customer care helpline, which is open 24 hours, on 1800-278278. A map of the area is available to view on the supply and service section of water.ie. 

"Public health is Irish Water’s number one priority and we would like to assure customers that the notice has been put in place to protect public health," said Patrick Duggan, Irish Water’s Operations Lead. "We acknowledge the inconvenience caused to homes and businesses and would like to assure customers that we are working to resolve the issue and lift the notice as quickly and as safely as possible." 

In line with HSE Covid-19 advice and the requirement for frequent hand washing, Irish Water advises that the water remains suitable for this purpose and boiling the water is not required for handwashing.

Irish Water’s drinking water standards, as per EU Drinking Water regulations, are strict and include wide safety margins. Where risks to water quality are identified through Irish Water’s enhanced testing and monitoring programme, the Health Service Executive (HSE) are consulted and Boil Water Notices are issued to protect public health. In all instances immediate action is taken to address the cause of the issue to enable the lifting of the notice as quickly as it safe to do so, in agreement with the HSE.

Vulnerable customers who have registered with Irish Water receive direct communication on Boil Water Notices. Customers are reminded that the water is safe to consume once boiled.

Water must be boiled for:

Drinking
Drinks made with water
Preparation of salads and similar foods, which are not cooked prior to eating
Brushing of teeth
Making of ice - discard ice cubes in fridges and freezers and filtered water in fridges. Make ice from cooled boiled water.

Use water prepared for drinking when preparing foods that will not be cooked (washing salads, etc).
Water can be used for personal hygiene, bathing and flushing of toilets but not for brushing teeth or gargling.
Boil water by bringing to a vigorous, rolling boil (with an automatic kettle) and allow to cool. Cover and store in a refrigerator or cold place. Water from the hot tap is not safe to drink. Domestic water filters will not render water safe to drink.
Caution should be taken when bathing children to ensure that they do not swallow the bathing water.

Preparing Infant Formula

Where a Boil Water Notice is in place, people can prepare infant formula from tap water that has been boiled once (rolling boil for one minute) and cooled beforehand. Bottled water can also be used to make up infant formula. All bottled water, with the exception of natural mineral water, is regulated to the same standard as drinking water. If bottled water is used to make up infant formula it should be boiled once (rolling boil for 1 minute), and cooled in the normal way. Ready-to-use formula that does not need added water can also be used.

Great care should be taken with boiled water to avoid burns and scalds as accidents can easily happen, especially with children.